TREASURES OF MOROCCO

ITINERARY :

 

15 Days/ 14 Nights

 

Immerse yourself with discovery of Morocco tour to embrace a variety of compelling natural landscapes from the Royal cities of the North to the exotic South of mud castles, charming sand dunes, majestic gorges to the beauty of the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts, you will learn and discover how to find oneself and keep forever in the memory an idea of eternity. It is ideal tour to appreciate the legendary hospitality of the Moroccans, their culture, their life mode, and their traditions, strong images of imposing landscapes and historic sites which make the richness of the country. 

 

ITINERARY 

 

Day 1 : CASABLANCA

 

 

 

The tour will start by meeting your driver at Mohamed V Airport in Casablanca, the largest city in Northern Africa and the economic capital of the kingdom ; You will be transferred to your hotel where you will be given time to settle in and freshen up. Dinner & Overnight at your Hotel in Casablanca 

 

 Day 2: CASABLANCA – RABAT 

 

After breakfast, we start the sightseeing of Casablanca which will include the United Nations place, Mohammed V square, the residential area of Anfa, external visit of the famous Hassan II Mosque one of the largest in the world, and one of the few Mosques open to non-Muslims in the country, and the beautiful Ain Diab corniche the nightlife of the city lined up with restaurants and swimming pools.Departure to Rabat the capital of Morocco Rabat. Arrival in Rabat, check in at Hotel, frenshen up. Our sightseeing begins with the Kasbah of the Oudayas, the exquisite Mohamed V Mausoleum tomb who saved Moroccan Jews from the occupying Vichy regime during World War II. Explore Rabat's Jewish cemetery and sites, visit the imposing Hassan Tower built in 1196, the 14 century Necropolis of Chellah and the ramparts and walls of the Mechouar surrounding the Royal Palace. Overnight at your Riad in Rabat

 

 

Day 3 : RABAT – MEKNES – VOLUBILIS – FEZ 

 

In the morning we depart for Meknes the former imperial city built at the end of the 17th century by King Moulay Ismail. The Meknes city tour includes the old ramparts, the Moulay Ismail stables, and granaries. Also visit the gate of Bab el Mansour, one of the most beautiful gates in Morocco, the Moulay Ismail Mausoleum and Lahdim square. After lunch we will then continue to Moulay Idriss the holiest city in Morocco in the creation of the country's first Arab dynasty and where the founder of Islam in Morocco is buried, then Volubilis the settlement of the great Roman empire, Morocco's largest and best preserved Roman ruins. Continue to Fez. Dinner & Overnight At your Riad in Fez

 

 Day 4 : FEZ 

 

After breakfast, Excursion To Sefrou and Bhalil, you will also stop in a town called Bhalil – very charming ; many of the homes look like regular homes from the outside but are actually built in caves, back to Fez. Independent lunch followed by a visit to the Medieval Medina of Fez has a world of its own, a UNESCO world heritage, encircled by an unbroken line of ramparts and gates a labyrinth of sloping, winding alleyways are crammed full of artisans and merchants, each district has its own specialty; cobalt blue enameled pottery, carpets, wrought iron, and then visit Boujeloud gate with its decoration of green and blue faiences..

 

 

Overnight at your Riad in Fes

 

Day 5 :   FEZ – IFRAN – MIDELT – ERFOUD – MERZOUGA 

 

After breakfast we leave for Erfoud via the mountains and the cedar woods of the middle Atlas through the berber villages and towns of Imouzzer, Azrou and Ifran a charming ski resort well known for its wood carving, we stop in the small town of Midelt for lunch. Continuing on to Erfoud via Errachidia and the Ziz valley dotted with palm trees, which are the source for the yearly date festival in Erfoud, you come across a totally different face of this country. Here you will find the huge sand dunes in Merzouga, the Saharan dune field closest to Europe where you can sit and gaze at this barren beauty, walk up one of the dunes . Nearby Erfoud is the point of departure for your Sahara desert immersion we set out on a sunset excursion to the breathtakingly beautiful sand dunes at Merzouga on the edge of the Sahara in the enormous silence we watch the sun set over the desert as we take a camel ride along the dunes to experience an unforgettable ride according to the Bedouine way of life. The «desert ship» would carry you through sand dunes and spectacular scenery. It will be followed by a magical guided-tour and the admiration of a star studded sky. Then a bivouac would be set up around a wood fire. You would appreciate the Bedouin traditional dinner. Accommodation will be provided under a nomadic tent to beneath the innumerable stars of the clear desert sky and awake with the sunrise to watch the colors of the desert changing in front of your eyes. 

 

Dinner & Overnight under deluxe tent.

 

Day 6: ERFOUD : Today you will have lunch and enjoy local folk music and entertainment with local people and enjoy getting to know the surrounding area.

 

Overnight at your hotel in Erfoud 

 

Day 7 : ERFOUD – RISSANI – TINGHIR – OUARZAZATE 

 

In the morning we visit the city of Rissani, the holy city where Moulay Ali Cherif, ancestor of the Alaouite dynasty is buried, with its 18th-century Ksar, a virtually impenetrable warren of alleys; then continue on to the ruins of 17th-century Ksar Abbar fortress. Continuing South to the "Land of a Thousand Kasbahs" where many Kasbahs, once the fortified houses of Berber warlords, are still seen, some crumbling and some still inhabited by Berber families, the day features one beautiful scene after another, including the village of Tinghir, a stunning mountain oasis rising on a series of river-side terraces lush with palm trees; and the spectacular Todra Gorge from its plunging depths to its 1000 foot high cliffs. Following lunch, then we visit Kelaa Magouna, known for its roses, then continue to Ouarzazate a desert outpost in the Southern Kasbah region used as a location backdrop by many epic films such as Lawrence of Arabia, Alexander the Great and Jesus of Nazareth. offering an old town with its maze of narrow streets and a new town, we reach the city in late afternoon. 

 

Overnight at your hotel  

 

Day 8:   OUARZAZATE – DADES VALLEY - OUARZAZATE

After breakfast, excursion To Dades Valley. Your journey will take you through the Dadès Valley which covers 125 km between Ouarzazate and Boulmane du Dadès in the High Atlas Mountains. Once you reach Boumalne at first sight you notice the limestone cliffs with uniquely shaped erosions and superb scenery and the valley’s pise (windy roads). Driving along you will pass flower filled fields, fertile fields, riverbanks and several fortified ksours. At the bottom of Gorge of Boulmane Dadès there are ruined hilltop Kasbahs and valley floor gardens.  Protected by the mountains, Aït Youl is among the largest Glaoui Kasbah that is worth a pitstop.

 Overnight  at your hotel

 

Day9:   OUARZAZATE – ESSAOUIRA 

 

After Breakfast. We will enjoy our visit in Morocco's Hollywood, with its cinematographic studios offers an extremely appropriate environment for the biggest films shooting, we visit the magnificent Taourirt Kasbah together one of the few remaining Pasha Glaoui residences. This Kasbah is recently restored and receives thousands of people during the folkloric festival of the city every year. Later we set forth towards the north alongside the Ouarzazate valley to the magnificently exotic Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou, declared, and rightly so, a world heritage site. Ait Ben Haddou is one of the most spectacular sights, the fortified village is a UNESCO world heritage site and the backdrop for famous films such as Lawrence of Arabia not to be missed in the Atlas ranges the largest mountain chain in Africa, set upon a rock above a reed-strewn assif, commanding the area for miles around. This Kasbah had long controlled the route to Marrakech until the French blasted a road through the Tizin'Tichka mountain (2260 m). Then continue to the North towards Essaouira via Marrakech. 

 

Overnight at your Riad 

 

Day 10: ESSAOUIRA

 

After breakfast tour of the city, a place with a strong feeling where you explore Phoenician, Berber, Portuguese, Jewish, and French past in the well-preserved architecture, with its small alleyways and whitewashed buildings with blue paintwork and enchanting fishing harbour reflecting the Portuguese character of settlers from the 16th century. Free afternoon to relax and explore on your own

Overnight  at yourRiad

 

Day 11: ESSAOUIRA – MARRAKECH 

 

After breakfast. Departure for Marrakech via the scenic inland road, the landscape changes as we drive into a throwback from the Terrasic Era, the forest of the Argan trees which only exist in this region of the world, we stop to take pictures with goats ‘harvesting’ Argan fruits, then visit an Argan oil cooperative run by local women… you can take a tour to learn how argan oil is made, chat with the women, and pick up treats like homemade soap or 'Amlou’ a traditional Moroccan jam to bring home. Then we continue to Marrakech.

 

Overnight at your Riad

 

day12 :   MARRAKECH 

 

Your long-day tour will be devoted to the sightseeing of Marrakesh, the second oldest imperial city known as the "Pearl of the South" to discover the fascinating history and rich cultural heritage of this ancient city, you will visit the Saadian tombs, the Koutoubia Mosque the tallest building in the city, the Bahia Palace and the Menara Garden. You will explore the souks and the world's famous Djemaa El Fna place which offers various entertainments (story tellers, water sellers, acrobats, snake-charmers, magicians, musicians and henna artists, orange-juice sellers, open-air barbecue food-stalls etc. etc...) 

Optional: a Fantasia dinner will be provided under caidal tents at the famed "Chez Ali" restaurant. Enjoy the fantasia spectacle that includes horses shows, folkloric troops from different Moroccan regions and belly dancer. 

 

Overnight  at Riad at your Riad  

 

Day 13:   MARRAKECH 

 

Morning at leisure for browsing or shopping. Optional half-day excursion to nearby Ourika valley Southwards of Marrakech to experience the authentic traditional Berber life.

Overnight at your Riad 

 

Day 14 :   MARRAKECH 

 

Morning at leisure for browsing or shopping.

Overnight  at your Riad 

 

Day 15 :   MARRAKECH – AIRPORT 

 

After breakfast, a private transfer to the Airport.